Suspension device of variable flexibility for vehicles



F. TREMBLEY Nov. 22, 1955 SUSPENSION DEVICE OF VARIABLE FLEXIBILITY FOR VEHICLES Filed Jan. 24, 1950 7 Sheets-Sheet l I Nov. 22, 1955 F. TREMBLEY 2,724,587

SUSPENSION DEVICE OF VARIABLE FLEXIBILITY FOR VEHICLES Filed Jan. 24, 1950 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 Femm/v1: Une-M5L f/ KW? M7 @WM Nov. 22, 1955 Filed Jan. 24, 1950 F. TREMBLEY SUSPENSION DEVICE OF' VARIABLE FLEXIBILITY FOR VEHICLES 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 FER/VHA@ 7kb-Maly Nov. 22, 1955 F. TREMBLEY 2,724,587

SUSPENSION DEVICE OF' VARIABLE FLEXIBILITY FOR VEHICLES Filed Jan. 24, 1950 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 FER /v/w RIF/v5.1.5 y

Nov. 22, 1955 F. TREMBLEY 2,724,587

SUSPENSION DEVICE 0E VARIABLE ELEXIEILITY EOE VEHICLES Filed Jan. 24, 1950 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 WW? w*% N0v.22,1955 ETREMBLEY 2,724,587

SUSPENSION DEVICE OF VARIABLE FLEXIBILITY FOR VEHICLES Filed Jan. 24, 1950 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 Nov. 22, 1955 F. TREMBLEY 2,724,587

SUSPENSION DEVICE OF VARIABLE FLEXIBILITY FOR VEHICLES Filed Jan. 24, 1950 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 HHH ff the lever is spaced from its position of equilibrium.

`:SUSPENSIGINT DEVICE F VARIAELE FLEXIBILITY `FOR VEHICEJES Fernand Trembley, Bellerive, 1`Geneva, Switzerland, assignor to Societe de Recherches Techniques et dExplotations Industrielles, Geneva, Switzerland, a corporation `of `Switzerland Application January 24, 1950, Serial No. 140,226 Claims priority, application France March 19, 1949 3 Claims. (ci. ism- 15) The present invention has for its subject a suspension device of variable flexibility for automobile and analogous vehicles, which device `is constituted by a leverarm secured to one or more arms carrying the shaft of a wheel and -provided at `its end with a cam having substantially the shapeof a gear tooth acting on a member connected to the resilient suspension members. i

The connecting member of the resilient suspension members has at least one straight line generating surface, adapted to co-operate with the camhaving a gear shape, said cam bearing against the said surface at a distance from its axis of rotation which is the greater the more A return force is thus obtained which is the greater the further the wheel is removed from its normalposition.

Another object of the invention is to provide that the axis of the cam lever is `carried by a casing to which are hinged two arms of which one is secured to an auxiliary arm turning in the framework of the device and the other being secured to the shaft carrying the arm provided with the cam. The `auxiliary shaft may carry a lever co-operating on opposite sides of its position of `equilibrium with shock absorbingmembers, such as helical springs or pieces of rubber.

Some forms of construction of the subject of the `nvention are shown by Way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. l is a. View from above of the suspension device of the front wheel, of `a `rst form of construction (the connection with the hub of the wheel is not shown).

Fig. 2 `is a section on `the line ll-lli of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 ris a section on the linelil-lll of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an elevation of a first form of construction `of the rear suspension.

Fig. 5 is a vertical section ofthe device ofFig. 4.

Fig. 6 is an axial section of a second formof construction `of the suspension of a front wheel.

Fig. 7 is asimilar viewof a second form `of construction of the suspension of` a rear wheel.

In the presentdescription the term shaftof a Wheel implies the driving shaft carrying the wheel hub, in the case ofia driving wheel and the stub shaft ot the wheel `in the case of a non-driving wheel. i

With reference to Figs. l to 3, `the shaft il` of the front driving wheel, that is to say the driving shaft secured to the fork of a universal joint, is mounted in a casing 1a, provided with two spherical cups 2 hinged to suspension arms 3 and 3. The: upper arm` 3 is mounted for rotation in the casing 4 of the shock absorber device by an auxiliary shaft 8a, of which the end is channelled, carries a bent part `5 for forming the iinger 6 placed between the two massesof rubber 7, forming stops, which bear against the casing 4.

The lower arm `3 is also mounted for rotation in the casing 4, `the end of its shaft 8 is splinedy at 9 and on this splined end is mounted a lever arm 10 which carries at its "end `the cam 11; this cam, in longitudinal section paral- United States Patent-O from dust. Thecasing 4 is bolted to this shell.

2,724,587 Patented Nov. 22, 1955 ICC I'el to the central vertical plane of the vehicle, has `substan- "tially ythe s'hapeof ag'ea'r tooth. The cam is located in `bear a't 15 and 16 `against the cam 11. Between the piston 13 and the corresponding base 17 of the cylinder 12 `is placed a compression spring 18. Between the piston 1`4 and the corresponding movable bottom 19 of the cylinder 12 are placed ytwo co-axial `compression springs 20 vand2`1. A The cylinder 12 contains lubricant and its two parts containing-thesprings 20 `and 21 on the one hand and 18 on the other hand, are placed into communication by a passage 40, provided in its wall (Fig. 2). This passage ensures a constant volume between the two .parts of 'the cylinder and is provided with an adjusting needle 41. Into the interior of the spring 21 is placed a tubular `piece 22 for example `of wood. This piece is adapted to position relatively to the `ing with the piston 14 bears against a screwed tube 23 cooperating with a screwed portion of the stationary bottom 24 of Athe said cylinder 12, the whole being locked bythe lock=nut 25. I

The whole of tlresuspension device described, with the exception of the carrying arms 3, 3', is located in the interior of the shell of the vehicle, and is thus protected The suspension device 'thus constructed operates in the following manner:

When the wheel rises an accompanying damping is obtained by the compression of one ot the masses of rubber 7 with which comes 'into contact the finger 6 actuated bythe upper arm. The principal damping is obtained by the lower arm.

Thel latter, by rising towards the maximum upper position, shown by chain-dotted lines in Fig. 3 (line PMH), causes the jlever 10 to move in a clockwise direction. The "point of Contact `16 moves along the profile of the cam towards the `extreme part of this whilst compressing the springs 20 and 21. The opposing lever arm `formed by 10 thus increases in proportion as the axis of the stub shaft rises `and moves away from the normal position.

` It is possible to adjust the duration and the stroke of the"susp'ensioi1 by screwing `the screwed tube 23 in or out,

which causes the movable bottom 19 to advance towards `or recede from the cylinder A12.

When the' shaft `of the wheel moves downwards, the arm 3 moves towards its maximum lower position indicated by `chain-dotted lines in Fig. 3 (line PMB).` The shaft i3 in the bracket 4 of the shock absorbing device,

the end 9 of said shaft being provided with longitudinal splines. 0n the end 9 of the shaft is mounted a lever `arm 10 carrying a cam 11. The ends of the arms 3 and 3 are secured for example by` welding, to a part` 3a of the end of the shafts to which they are connected.

The shock `absorbing device proper is formed by blocks of rubber `26 and 27 acting under compression. The `smaller blocks 26 `form shock absorbers for the downward `rnovenrient of the axis of the stub shaft and the larger blocks for the upward movement of the said stub shaft.

3 The blocks 26 and 27 are threaded on a vertical shaft 28 sliding freely in the bushes 29 and 30 secured to the casing 4 of the shock absorbing device. The blocks 26 located at the upper` end bear at one `end against the inner face of the bush 29 and at the other endagainst a washer 31 `itself abutting against an adjustingl nut 32 co-operating with a screwed part 33 of the rod 28. Between the two blocks 26 are located centering and guiding washers 31a. The blocks 27 bear at one end against a washer 34 bearing against the same nut 32 and at the other end, by means lof an abutment 30, on the'bracket 4 of the shock absorbing device. The blocks 27 are separated from one another by centering washers 34a on the rod 28. The screwed rod 28 is provided at its lower portion with a sleeve 35 into which penetrates the cam 11 secured to the lever arm 10 which itself is keyed to the splined part 9l of the shaft 8 by which it is connected to the lever arm 3 which supports the stub shaft. The cam 11 bears against two horizontal faces 36vand 37 of the sleeve 35 at the points 38 and 39 respectively.

The profile of the cam 11 is such that when the axis of the shaft moves away from the normal position, the points '38'or 39 move away from the axis of rotation of the lever arm thus modifying the length of the said lever arm, which forms the suspension of variable flexibility in the ascending direction of the wheel.

The ldevice above described operates in the following manner: when the axis of the stub shaft rises, the rotation of the arm 3 in its ascending direction, causes the rotation of the lever arm 10 in a clockwise direction (Fig. 5),

the' rod 28moved by the cam 11, descends whilst compressing the rubber blocks 27. By reason of the profile of the cam, the lengthl of the lever arm increases in proportion as the axis of the stub shaft moves away from the p normal position whereby the value of the opposing couple increases. When the axis of the stub shaft descends, the arm 3 moves downwards causing the lever arm 10 to rotate in a counterclockwise direction (Fig. 5) and the rod 28 rises whilst compressing the blocks 26. The lever arm increases in proportion to the movement of the stub shaft its normal position by reason of the movement of the point of Contact 38 of the cam 11 on the surface 36 of the sleeve It is this arrangement which provides a suspension of variable flexibility during the downward movements of the wheel. t

The construction of the suspension devices described, for the front and rear wheels of a vehicle may be simplified inthe manner shown in Figs. 6 and 7. In these figures, the same references indicate corresponding parts of the forms of construction above described.

With reference to Fig. 6, the shaft 8 carries on its splined part 9 an arm 10 at the end of which is located the cam 11.

The arm 10 with the cam 11 are located in a seating 43 of the bracket 4 of the device, the seating being closed in a fluidtight manner by a cover 44 forced against a joint by a transverse member 45 subjected to the action of a nut 45a. In the two opposite faces of the seating 43 opposite the cam 11 are provided circular openings, into which lit movable bearings 46 for a sliding rod 47 screw threaded at its two ends and carrying on each thereof a washer 48 and 49, respectively, which are adjustable in position by means of nuts 50 and lock nuts 51.

The washer 48 serves as a seat for a spring 52 of which the other end bears against a bearing 46. The washer 49 serves as a seat for a block of rubber 53a forming part of a series of three 53a, 53b, 53C which are located on the 'part of the rod 47 opposite to that carrying the spring 52.

The block 53C bears against a bearing 46. The three blocks of rubber are separated from one another by centering washers 54.

In its central part, located in the seating 43, the rod 47 is provided with a strengthened portion 55 provided with an opening 56 serving as a seating for the cam 11. As

shown, the two faces'of the seating 56 which are in contact with the cam 11 have a straight generating line and are inclined symmetricallyrelatively to the central plane of this seating, perpendicular to the axis of the rod 47.

It will be understood that the bearings 46 are forced in a tluidtight manner against the walls of the seating 43 by the pressure of the spring 52 and the rubber blocks 53a, 5311, 53C respectively, so that the lubricant contained in the seating cannot escape. n

Instead of being arranged horizontally, as in the first form of construction, the device described above is inclined relatively to the horizontal. The operation, in principle, is the same as that described with reference to the first form of construction, and the angle formed by the rod 47 may be selected at will. Similarly the lever 10 may be keyed to the shaft 8a.

It will be understood that the blocks of rubber 53a, 53h, 53e may be replaced by one or more springs. Further instead of a single spring 52 a number thereof may be provided.

Fig. 7 shows a similar device applied to the suspension of a rear Wheel.

The assembly consisting of the shaft 8, the arm 10 with the cam 11, the rod 47 with the spring 52 and the rubber blocks 53a, 53h, 53C is substantially the same as that described with reference to Fig. 6. The arm 10 and the cam 11 are located in a seating 57 of the bracket 4 of the device. The seating is closed in a fluidtight manner by a cover 58 tightened in position by bolts 59.

The shaft 8 is in this case actuated by a single arm 60 carrying the shaft of the stub shaft 61.

The operation is in principle the same as that described with reference to Figs. 4 and 5.v However, as the cam 11 operates practically only by its face which bears against the wall 56a of the seating 56 by the actionof the spring 52, its opposite face, as also the corresponding wall of the seating may be omitted.

In this form of construction, the device is placed horizontally and may be carried at under all useful angles.

In the two forms of construction shown in Figs. 6 and 7, the suspension is ensured by the compression of the spring 52, adjustable in tension, the rubber blocks 53a, 53b, 53e` constituting a shock absorber device.

The forms of construction described above permit of attaining, by simpler mechanical means and consequently less expensively, the same results as with the forms of construction first described.

In these two examples, the seating of the cam 11 may have parallel walls instead of them being inclined relatively to its central plane.

I claim:

l. A suspension device for automobiles and similar vehicles, the flexibility of which varies automatically according to the load on the vehicle 'and the shocks to which its wheels are subjected, comprising a shaft mounted for rocking movement about its axis on the vehicle, an arm fixed at one end to the shaft, a wheel axle carried by the other end of said arm, a lever xed at one end to said shaft, a casing surrounding said shaft and xed on the vehicle, said casing having a compartment for said lever, rod bearings disposed in opposite walls of the compartment on each side of said lever, a rod mounted in said bearings for axial reciprocal movement, resilient means interposed between the rod and the vehicle for resiliently opposing axial movement of the rod in either direction from a point of equilibrium,

an actuating member carried by the intermediate poractuating member being so positioned that upon movement of the lever from its position of equilibrium in either direction, the line of contact between the flank p of the cam and its corresponding cooperating surface of the rod-actuating member will shift `to increase the eifective length of said lever arm.

2. A suspension device for automobiles and similar vehicles, the flexibility of which varies automatically according to the load on the vehicle and the shocks to which its wheels are subjected, comprising a shaft mounted for rocking movement about its axis on the vehicle, an arm lixed at one end to the shaft, a Wheel axle carried by the other end of said arm, a lever xed at one end to said shaft, a casing surrounding said shaft and xed on the vehicle, said `casing having a compartment for said lever, rod bearings disposed in opposite walls of the compartment on each side of said lever, a rod mounted in said bearings for axial reciprocal movement, axial adjustable abutment means on each end of said rod, resilient means surrounding the rod and interposed between each abutment means and the corresponding rod bearing for resiliently opposing axial movement of the rod in either direction from a point of equilibrium, an actuating member carried by the intermediate portion of said rod and provided with a pair of spaced apart opposed surfaces, and a cam carried by the other end of said lever, said cam having a convexly curved ank on opposite sides thereof and positioned between the opposed surfaces of said rod-actuating member with the oppositeanks of the cam in engagement with the corresponding opposed surfaces of the actuating member, said cam and cooperating surfaces of the rodactuating member being so positioned that upon movement of the lever -from its position of equilibrium in either direction, the line of Contact: between the flank of the cam and its corresponding cooperating surface of the rod-actuating member Willshift to increase the eiective length of said lever arm.

3. A suspension device according to claim 1 in which the cam engaging surfaces of the rod-actuating member are symmetrically inclined with respect to the axis of the rod and lie in planes which intersect each other on the side of the rod opposite the shaft.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 18,885 Dubonnet July 4, 1933 1,641,472 Brown Sept. 6, 1927 1,941,879 Dubonnet Jan. 2, 1934 2,100,689 Dubonnet Nov. 30, 1937 2,139,592 Kirkby Dec. 6, 1938 FOREIGN PATENTS 38,961 France May 19, 1931 (1st addition to No. 695,060) 199,172 Great Britain June 21, 1923 344,557 Great Britain Mar. 12, 1931 OTHER REFERENCES "Elements of Mechanism by Schwalirb, Merrill and James, third edition 1921, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York, page 116. 

